Apparatus for cooling and dehumidifying air



Dec. 22, 1953 J. F. BAKER APPARATUS FOR COOLING AND DEHUMIDIFYING AIR Filed March 24, 1952 rllllY 1| I l I I INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Dec. 22, 1953 J. F. BAKER APPARATUS FOR COOLING AND DEHUMIDIFYING AIR 5 sheets-sheet 2 :iled Marh 24, 1952 mh mkqvhl mm 'ATTORNEYS J. F. BAKER APPARATUS FOR COOLING AND DEHUMIDIFYING lAIR Dec. 22, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 24, 1952 To PUMP mr me m am E J.

BY 2tw- SLM ATTORNEYs Dec. 22, 1953 J. F. BAKER APPARATUS FOR COOLING AND DEHUMIDIFYING AIR 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 24, 1952 IN VENTOR I I I ATTORNEYS J. F.y BAKER Dec. 22, 1953 v APPARATUS FOR COOLING AND DEHUMIDIFYING AIR 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 24, 1952 1N VENTOR ATTORNEYS A lh U3 Alg 339 8SM/3.933l

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mm Y Ohhltl 00 mm Patented Dec. 22, 1953 oral-ca APPARATUS :FOR CQQLINGK'AND eDEHUMIDIFYINGsAIJR 'faliclaims l producing -cooL .Acleanoain .-An-obj ectothisinvention is.ztd.provide1-a.cool ing.systemembodyingfarr .elongated housing having. an- Aair V.intake `at `one Aend and; arisuction fan at the .other'end-with avlcoolingmeans within .thef housingfforcooling and` -de--liu-midifying the air. passing therethrough.

. Another objectA of ,i this 1 invention is to provide a1 colingsystem 'whichlincludes .means for dev f huinidifying and-cooling air to.apredetermined degree. Y

.Afurther object yof this. invention is---to` provide aV coolingl systernwhiohincludes .thermal 4control .meanslfor.producingfair .at :an relatively .constant colltemperature.

A'further object of this invention-is.-toprovide aA cooli-ngssystemvanlgimproveflsmeansL torfzfdefrostingv the cooling units.

1 .ffl-further object ofthislinvention isetosprov-ide an ...air :cooling .system .-an. improved L means for-cleaningthefairlpassing.throughsthescooler.

yWithc'theoaloove:and;y .other` objects fin -,view,i1-my invention vconsists in: the.-arrangementfrcombina- .tion .and...detai1s cof. constnuction- Idisclosed in, the v'drawings and. specioationf. and fthenl fmoroj .par- .tiex'ilarlyV pointed. out. ini-the .appended claims.

Imthedrawingsr Eigure v`1 lis a lplan 1View @partly "diagrammatic arid .part1y.-in.:section of a-combined :air dehumidifying sand cooling A.structure :embodying this invention.

Figurez ,is-asectional yview.taken-on.tliezline 2 2 .of Figure 1.

ZFigure is a. fragmentarysectionalgviews-taken onthelinee-.3- of yFigure-2.

lFigure Y4. is .1a fragmentary sectional fv-iew. taken onlthelineld-.o Figure .12. Y

"Figurei is Ta sectional viewstaken on .the y:line .of .'.Figurefvl Figure 6l is .a .fragmentary sectional Lview.: .taken `on theflineL-fpf Figur-e 2.

.igure 7 is :a .fragmentary .front ,felevation iof I oneofithe flter elements'.

Eigure. is. a..fragmentaryvsectionalffviewataken on.' 'the' 1ne` 8-8 of llligure '7.

"'.Figurefgis afragmentary sectionalview taken on,theQlineTB-#S ofiEigure 4. c

"liigure 1-0 is .aL fragmentary horizontalesection taken on' tliellineA lll-.mooi .Figuren l l l "Figure: 11 ..is. a..diagrammatic view showing the cooling andQelectric .circuits-.embodied in -this invention. t g n Referring to .the Ydrawings, `the .numeral l5 designates generally an Aelongated; hollowzforvtu- A.in'gfsectionl lfandalforward. aincleaning aridlde- .l1unii'difying1-section IJ. vThe rearesection i t6. is

'.fonmed uof .a lhousing l having `upper .aridi lower walls 5 .1.8. and I9. respectively` .and fopposite side Walls"2`0. A vertically Hdisposed airintake duct 2| .is connected .with-.the'rear of .the housing section,I !`6,..an`d ductfll .lis `comniurlicated with the atmosphere .whichfmay be .at Ya point remote from thehousingl. .-Afseries ofhorizontally disposed "downwardly .and inwardly inclined baiHesordectorsiZ extend across the rear of L`the housing .section 6.an'd are. adapted to deflect #the-incoming.. .air .downwardly as .well .as .evenly .distribute `thel..-inco1ning .fair `.entering the i. rear .housingwsecticn l i 6.

:LA-plurality of Water jetslZ alareidisposed: Within ftlielnousing. sectionlLlforwardlyto the .baiiie or .fre'ectorwmernbers and areadapted to .project a .'n'elyccomminnted waterssprayforwardly in the v'direction of the movement of `the.air. AAn .,air.. lter structure generally i designated as 2li .isidisposed.within..the...housing section liorywardly of the.. jetsl2`3,.:and ...thea filter.structurel 24 tically disposedtelements: 25 shown. more clearly in Eigure: 3, which.r areicarriedfby. channel-shaped vfram-e*members 4.2 6. v

.-Ihe'bottom rwallE t9 n of the vhousing .section l5 Jis provided-with afipluralityiofedrain openings 2 whereby kthe water dropping l.into vthe .housing Isection-:lili f from the .spraysorjets 23 maydrain .out :of the housingwection .-lr.- into .af collector .or .paneZtavhichais;disposedbelowv the housing section Ak1.8. .A waterspump is-disposedat one si-desotheliousing sectionl and is operated .bymeansaotamotor orpower member 3o. The intakefside oftthe .pump- 29 yisrconnected by means .-.ofiaipipe 3 l to athe'. collector. 28 .and .the outlet or,-.pr.essnrefside.ofzthefpump A29 :is connected `ley .meansofa Apipe-:3.2l the spraynozzle :23. The l'rousing'section=;I;6fzalsohasdisposed .therein forwardlyy offthelter.zmenrb'ers 125 'fa series 'of vertieallyspacedapartgpairstof lveshaped n baffles 1:33.

.An zintermediate damper '.unit' 34 is disposed between zthe 'rear housing section t5 :and the v.housing section `I 7l if rid ...includes fa; rectangular `housing #35 having ialfseries fof .ihorizontally [disposed elongated dampers 36 rockably positioned ibetweemthe sidei'wallsi of the rectangular hous ing'. The damperstztformfa valve or regulatu iingA \mean'slforrregulatingl the flow of the air from lthefrearfhousing.il 6:-throughvaforwardly tapered connectinglmember :31 .into the rear'o the de- 55 1ihumidiffyifngand(cocling@section i5.

The combined de-humidifying and cooling section I includes a pair of connected together housings 39 and 39 having cooling coils 40 and 4I disposed therein. The housings 38 and 39 are formed with drain openings 42 and 43 in the bottoms thereof whereby water may drain from the housing members into a drain pan 44, which is inclined downwardly and rearwardly and coinmunicates with the collector 28.

The de-humidifying and cooling section i1 also includes a forward pair of connected together housings i5 and 45. Housing 45 hasdisposed therein a coil all, and housing 49 has disposed therein a coil 58. The air which passes through the cooling units hereinbefore described is drawn therethrough by means of a blower 49 which is connected with the forward-'end'of the cooling section l1 by means of a tapered connecting member 5t. The connecting member 5B com municates with the intake of the blower 49 and the outlet or pressure side of the blower 49 has a duct 5i connected therewith, The duct 5I is adapted to be extended to a suitable point for discharging the cooled and dehumidied air into a room or other enclosure which it is desired to cool.

The cooling coils iid and il form part oi a conventional refrigerating system, shown diagrammatically in Figure 1l, which is modied as will be hereinafter described. The low sides of the coils 156 and di are connected to a low side manifold 52 which is connected to a compressor 53. Compressor 53 is connected at the high side thereof to a condenser 555, and condenser 5s is connected with a receiver 55. The receiver 55 is connected to a high side manifold 59,Y and pipes el' and ,5B connect manifold 5e with the high sides of coils de and il respectively. A conventional expansion valve 53 is interposed in pipe 51, and a conventional expansion valve Sii is interposed in pipe 58.

In order to provide a means whereby the coils it and il may be periodically deirosted, I have provided a pipe iii which is connected to hot line 62, which connects compressor 53 with condenser One end oi pipe Gi is connected with pipe 51 between expansion valve 59 and coil 59, and the other end of pipe Si is connected with pipe 58 between expansion valve @E and coil 4|. A normally closed solenoid valve '.63 is interposed in pipe ci adjacent pipe and a second normally closed solenoid valve is interposed in pipe Si adjacent pipe 5S. Solenoid valve F53 is connected. tc a time clock switch structure. 55 by conductors and solenoid valve fill is connected to a second time clock operated switch 's1 by means of conductors The time clocks and switches associated therewith are adapted to periodically energize the solenoids of the valves t3 and 5d. so as to open thesev valves and permit the discharge of hot gases from hot gas line 6i into the coils d@ and 1li. These valves are adapted to be opened for relatively short periods at predetermined intervals so that any frost collecting on the coils will be melted. zreferably the solenoid valves are operated in sequence as to their deirosting cycles so that there will be one coil it and il in operative and cooling condition at all times.

Coils lll and it are connected to a second cooling unit independent from the first cooling unit hereinbefore described, and this second cooling unit is of conventionalconstruction, with the exceptions to be hereinafter noted. A compressor generally designated as 69 is formed of a plurality of compressor cylinders 10, 1|, 12 and 13. The cylinders 10, 1 I, 12 and 13 are connected at their high or pressure sides to a high side manifold 1li, and the manifold 'l is connected to a condenser 15. Condenser 15 is connected to a receiver 1li, and receiver 'i6 is connected by means of a pipe 11 to a common pipe 18 which is connected to the high sides of the coils l1 and 48. Expansion valves 19 and 19a of conventional structure are interposed between pipe 1S and coils 61 and d8, respectively. A common low side manifold is connected by means of pipes 3l, 82, 83 and 84 to the compressor cylinders lil, 1i, 12 and 13, respectively, and low side manifold 89 is connected by means of a pipe 85 to the low side of coil 41.

.The low side oi vcoil 48 is connected by means of a pipe 86 to low side manifold 8i?. A solenoid valve'l is interposed in pipe 8i; a solenoid valve @t is interposed in pipe 82, and a solenoid valve 89 -is interposed in pipe 83. rihe valves Si to 3S are normally closed and are adapted to be selectively opened by means of a series of thermostatic switches 9i, 92 and 93, respectively. Thermostatic switch 9| is connected by means of a conductor gli to one side of the solenoid of valve 8l, and thermostatic switch 92 is connected by means of a conductor 95 to one side of the solenoid of valve et. Thermostatic switch 93 is connected by means of a conductor 9e to one side of the solenoid of valve 39. The other sides of the solenoids of the valves 81, 88 and 89 are connected to a supply conductor 91. The solenoid valves 81, 38 and 89 illustrate one form of unloader for the compressor, and it will be understood that other forms of unloaders may be used in place of these valves.

The thermostatic switches 9i, 92 and 93 are carried by the connecting housing or neck 5i) and project into the neck 5! so that the refrigerant circulated through the coils 4l and i3 by the compressor 59 may be thermostatically controlled in accordance with the temperature of the air flowing through the neck 5t into the blower 49. In other words, in the event the air passing through the coils 61 and 'it is cooler than may be desired, due in part to the cooler temperature of the incoming air, any one or all of cylinders 19, 1i and 12 may be cut off from the low side or suction manifold 89 by closing of one or more of the thermostatic switches 9i, 92 and 93.

In the use and operation of this system, suction blower 49 will draw air through the housing Eis, and as air enters the rear housing section it, this air will be cleaned by the spray from nozzles 23 and the air additionally cleaned by the filter structure 2li, which will also remove any water globules in the air. The flow of air forwardly is regulated by the dampers 35 in intermediate housing 3ft, and as air passes through the rst pair of coils it and fil, the moisture in the air will be removed and the de-humidied air will then pass through the cooling coils l1 and d3. In the event the air initially entering rear section it is of relatively low temperature, the cooling effect of coils d1 and 43 may be reduced or decreased by closing of one or more of the thermou static switches 9|, 92 and 93. When the thermostatic switches are in closed position, the solenoid valves 21,788 and 89 Will be in open position permitting flow of refrigerant to the low sides of the compressor cylinders 19, 1l and 12.

When the system has been in operation for a predetermined time, the rear coils 49 and il will be coated with frost and these coils may be selectively defrosted by means of the time switch means 65 and 61. When time switch 65 is closed, solenoid valve 63 will be opened so that hot gas from hot line 6| will be discharged into the high or intake side of coil 4G. At this time, solenoid valve 64 will be in closed position so that coil 4| will be cooling the air passing therethrough. In View of the temperature of the gases passing through hot line '6|, the coils 40 and 4| will be i,

defrosted relatively fast so that the cooling cycle of each of these coils will not be interrupted for any lengthy period.

This system will provide dehumidiiied air at a predetermined temperature for circulation through food products such as dried eggs, milk, alfalfa meal, during the processing and packaging process, it being the intention to provide large quantities of air at a desired temperature with low moisture content for circulation through such products prior to packaging.

The device may also be used for air cooling purposes such as air conditioning, and with slight alterations in position and operation of coils, for the obtaining of low temperatures for refrigeration purposes.

I do not mean to conne myself to the exact details of construction herein disclosed, nor to the exact positional order of the various cooling and de-humidifying coils, but claim all variations falling within the purview of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An air de-humidifying and cooling .means comprising an elongated housing, means circuiating air through said housing, spray means cent the intake end of said housing, filter means inwardly of said spray means, dampers inwardly of said filter means, a rear pair of cooling coils in said housing, a cooling means connected with said coils, a second pair of cooling coils forwardly of said first pair of coils, a second cooling means connected with said second pair of cooling coils, thermostatically operated means carried by said housing and connected with said second cooling means for varying the effectiveness of the latter in accordance with the teniperature of air leaving said housing, and timed means connected between said first pair of coils and said first cooling means for effecting a defrosting of said rst pair of coils.

2. An air de-humidifying and cooling means comprising an elongated housing, means circulating air through said housing, spray means adjacent the intake end of said housing, lter means inwardly of said spray means, dampers inwardly of said filter means, a rear pair of cooling coils in said housing, a cooling means connected with said coils, a second pair of cooling coils forwardly of said i'irst pair of coils, a second cooling means connected vwith said second pair of cooling coils, thermostatically operated means carried by said housing and connected with said second cooling means for varying the effectiveness of the latter in accordance with the temperature of air leaving said housing, and timed means connected between said rst pair of coils and said rst cooling means for effecting a defrosting of said rst pair of coils, said last-mentioned means comprising a time clock switch and Va solenoid valve operable thereby.

3. An air de-humidiiying and cooling means comprising an elongated housing, means circulating air through said housing, spray means adjacent the intake end of said housing, iilter means inwardly of said spray means, dampers inwardly of said filter means, a rear pair of cooling coils in said housing, a cooling means connected with said coils, a second pair of cooling coils forwardly of said first pair oi coils, a second cooling means connected with said second pair of cooling coils, thermostatically operated means carried by said housing and connected .with said second cooling means for varying the effectiveness of the latter in accordance with the temperature of air leaving said housing, and timed means connected between said rst pair of coils and said rst cooling means for effecting a defrosting of said rst pair of coils, said last-mentioned means including a time clock switch and a solenoid valve operable thereby interposed in the intake line of each of said rst pair of coils, each timed means being separably operable to discharge a heating medium into one of said coils in sequence.

JESS F. BAKER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,471,112 Ellis Oct. 16, 1923 1,837,797 Shipley Dec. 22, 1931 2,090,782 Carraway Aug. 4, 1937 2,286,538 Guler June 16, 1942 2,296,741 Sanders Sept. 22, 1942 2,433,574 Newton Dec. 30, 1947 

